EXCLUSIVE: Reclusive Star Robert Wagner, 95, to Make 'Deathbed Confession' Nearly 45 Years After Natalie Wood's Mystery Death Gutted Actor's Career
Robert Wagner could share details of the night Natalie Wood died.
Nov. 21 2025, Published 12:00 p.m. ET
Natalie Wood's mystery death may finally get a resolution, as her former husband, Robert Wagner, is said to be ready to reveal details of what truly happened that fateful night, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Wood, 43 years old at the time, was last seen arguing with Wagner and screaming for her life while aboard the yacht Splendour off California's Catalina Island on November 28, 1981.
Will Robert Wagner Confess?
Wagner may be ready to make a deathbed confession, according to sources.
According to sources, Wagner, now 95 years old, is staying out of the spotlight while "drowning in guilt" and dealing with a brutal health crisis. And while it looks like the Hollywood legend's days are numbered, it may be time to reveal his secrets finally.
"It’s a tragedy, given he was quite the star in his day, but Natalie’s death is likely all anyone will ever remember Wagner for if he doesn’t clear the air," one insider said. "He will almost certainly make a deathbed confession."
Wagner and Wood spent the weekend on their yacht, alongside Christopher Walken. However, in the late hours of November 28 and the early minutes of November 29, the West Side Story actress vanished.
By the morning, Wood was found floating face down, with bruises on her body, near Blue Cavern Point on Catalina Island, as her death was originally ruled an accidental drowning.
Did Robert Wagner's Rumored Affair Lead to Natalie Wood's Death?
The 'West Side Story' star was found dead, in what was originally labeled an 'accidental drowning.'
However, decades later, the cause of death was changed from "drowning and other undetermined factors." Investigators behind the case have pondered whether a wild affair Wagner is believed to have had could have led to a violent argument.
"Anybody within earshot could hear them fighting," a witness recalled. "It jolted me. A man and a woman started yelling at each other at the top of their lungs... it was brutal."
Skipper Dennis Davern also revealed he lived in Wagner's Beverly Hills mansion following Wood's death and claims he was only allowed to leave when accompanied by the actor's "thugs," and he believes it was to keep him quiet about what actually went down that night.
Devern also claimed notable Bond Girl Jill St. John was over at Wagner's residence a lot, raising red flags.
The iconic star fled the spotlight following Wood's death, with many speculating he was involved.
He previously claimed: "She was at Wagner's house instantly, but I couldn't see what was going on because I was trapped in that room. She was always around. I think there was something else going on besides just feeling sorry for him."
While Wagner's lawyers deny he had any involvement in the movie star's death, calling rumors of an affair between their client and St. John "completely untrue," the actor has refused to talk to them about the case since it was reopened.
Wagner, whose story has changed over the years, was labeled a "person of interest" since he was the last person to see Wood alive. Wood's sister, Lana, has since penned a letter begging the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office to press charges against the Towering Inferno star.
The suspicion around Wagner has led him to live a private life, with only a few people being allowed at his $20million Aspen home, apart from his wife, St. John.
'He Was Filled With Sadness'
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Wagner has denied he had anything to do with the actress' death.
While many theories over what happened to Wood that night have continued to spread, celebrity coroner, Dr. Thomas Noguchi, still believed her death was caused by drowning, and that "alcohol played a significant role" in her passing.
According to the biography L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood, author Anne Soon Choi touched on how the famed doctor also believed Wood's clothing played a key role in her drowning after performing her autopsy.
Choi writes: "When he scrutinized the parka more carefully, he realized it weighed between thirty to forty pounds in its saturated state.
"Her sodden parka had caused her to drown. He was filled with sadness."
